Themes In A Farewell To Arms

A research paper on the themes in A Farewell to Arms examines three of the main themes within the novel. Paper Masters understands the classic Hemingway story and can help you write a research paper on its themes. We believe the following three themes are the most important ones to cover in A Farewell to Arms:

• Love in A Farewell to Arms
• War and the Tragic hero Frederic Henry
• Loss of Innocence in A Farewell To Arms

Love in A Farewell to Arms

Many literary themes can be found in A Farewell to Arms. There is love. Hemingway wrote this as a love story to show that even in times of calamitous war, love can be found and grow between two people. Love has it's limitations, though, and in Catherine's death comes it's conclusion.

War and the Tragic Hero Frederick Henry

There is the theme of war. Hemingway gives the need to find a hero. A tragic hero, but Frederic Henry serves the purpose of filling man's ideals in the time of war. Human values are also touched on in the story. When people are riddled with the devastation of war, finding morals to uphold is rather difficult. Through the characters in the novel, Hemingway gives many possibilities to varying human values. Throughout the novel, the way challenges are faced, the classification can be made of each character by their values during this time of war.

Loss of Innocence in A Farewell to Arms

A final theme to be considered is the loss of innocence and the disillusionment in life. This may be the most important theme Hemingway tries to relate. Using Frederic Henry, and creating his character to be an innocent young man, sets up the disillusionment that is to come. Henry volunteers for military duty with a naive sense of combating for the truth riddled with the excitement of war itself. The experiences he encounters start a metamorphosis in him. They transform him from a inexperienced, innocent student to a cynicwracked with bitterness towards everything that moved him in the first place. The war in another's homeland is now meaningless and his love for Catherine is all that matters. The irony lies in the fact that even this love cannot triumph over the fate that is to be his life. After Catherine's death the only thing left for Frederick Henry is disillusionment.